Flashlight



Y Aug- 5, 1947- c. E. WOHLER ETAL FLASHLIGHT Filed June 28, 1944 2' 6 aI/NVENTORJ' y eta/ b 4%4aboaL Patented Aug. 5, 1947 FLASHLIGHT Charles E. Wohler and Lewis G. Sherwood, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignors to Niagara Searchlight Company, Inc., Niagara Falls, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 28, 1944, Serial No. 542,517

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a flashlight and more particularly to a novel and attractive form of flashlight adapted for use in the home.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a novel flashlight in which the switch is readily accessible and conveniently turned on, the operating member of the switch being a bail-like handle for the flashlight so that when the flashlight is lifted by the handle the flashlight is turned on, thereby rendering the flashlight very convenient in use.

Another object is to provide such a flashlight in which the casing is of a novel two-part construction and which can be made of a synthetic plastic in any color and of highly ornamental and attractive appearance.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive means for latching the two parts of the casing together and which at the same time readily permit of separating the casing to replace the batteries or to replace the flashlight bulb.

Other objects are to provide such a flashlight which is extremely low in cost and simple and rugged in construction so as to stand up under conditions of severe and constant use without getting out of order or requiring repairs.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a flashlight embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central fore-and-aft section, taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, central, transverse section, taken generally on line 44, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the top section or part of the two-part housing or casing of the flashlight.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the bottom section or part of the flashlight casing.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing a modified form of latching means for holding the two sections of the casing together.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 88, Fig. 7.

The flashlight comprises a body or casing l which is composed of an upper section Illa and a lower section lllb. Each of thesesections is of generally rectangular box-like form and the two sections jointly provide a rectangular casing having a top H, end walls |2 a bottom wall M, a front wall l and a rear wall l6. At the parting line between the two sections Illa and Nb the sections are preferably provided with outwardly projecting mating ribs or flanges |8, for strength,

and the section Hlb is shown asprovided with flanges I9 fitting into recesses 20 so as to insure proper registry of the two sections when they are brought together.

The front wall I5 jointly provided by the two sections Illa and lb, is provided with a forwardly projecting external annular flange 2|, the parting line between the two sections lfla "and Hlb extending through the axis of this flange 2|. Against the forward end of this flange 2| is fitted the radially outward projecting rim of a metal reflector 22, this reflector extending into the casing and having a threaded neck 23 into which is screwed the base of a flashlight bulb 24, the sheath of this base having electrical contact with the reflector 22 through the neck 23. Against the radially projecting flange of the reflector 22 is arranged a disk 26 of transparent material, preferably a synthetic plastic, which is not easily broken and this disk or lens '26 and also the reflector 22 are held in centered relation with.

the flange 2| by an annular ring or rim 28 which is screwed on the externally threaded annular flange 2| and which is L-shaped in cross section to hold the rims of the lens 26 and reflector 22 tightly against the end of the threaded annular flange 2 I. It will also be seen that this internally threaded ring 28 serves-to hold the two sections Ella and lb of the casing'together at the front side thereof.

At the rear side of the flashlight the two sections Na and Hlb of the casing are preferably held together by a latching mechanism which is preferably constructed as follows:

In axial alinement with the reflector 22 and its bulb 24 the section Illb is provided with an up- Ward semi-circular extension 30 which fits into a corresponding recess 3| in the section Illa. At this place the lower section lllb is also formed to provide a rearwardly projecting boss 32 to which is rotatably secured, by means of a rivet 33, a disk 34. This disk has a forwardly projecting flange 35, this flange being adapted to engage the rear wall N5 of the casing and preferably being knurled or roughened so that it can conveniently be turned by hand. At one side of the disk 34 this rim 35 is [broken away so as to provide an. opening 3.5 through the rim 35 at this side of the disk.

Above the upward extension 30 of the lower section lllb, the upper section is provided with a rearwardly extending boss 38 the upper side of which is curved to conform to the flange 35 of the disk 32 which embraces this boss. The Width of this boss 38 is approximately equal to the 3 width of the opening 36 in one side of the rim 35 of the disk 34. It will therefore be seen that upon turning the disk 34 so that the opening 36 in its rim 35 registers with the rearwardly projecting boss 38 of the section a, the boss 38 can be withdrawn upwardly through the opening 36 thereby to permit the separation of the two halves of the casing, it being assumed, of course, that the ring 28 has been first removed. Similarly, upon turning the disk 34 so that the solid part of the rim 35 engages with th boss 38, the two halves of the casing are latched together.

Within the casing are arranged two flashlight batteries 4|] and 4|, these batteries being arranged inverted With respect to each other. The positive contact of the battery 4|] engages a spring contact 42, this spring contact ,42 being mounted on a metal strip 43 which is secured to the underside of the top wall ll of the casing in any suitable manner and which has a spring contact 44 extending downwardly along the side wall l2 of the casing adjacent the battery 43. Similarly, the negative contact of the battery 4| engages a spring contact 45 which is mounted on a metal strip .46 secured to the underside of the top wall of the casing and formed to provide a depending spring contact 48 arranged along that side wall I2 of the casing adjacent to the battery 4|. Adjaoent each of the spring contacts 44 and 48 the side walls I 2 of the casing are each provided with an internal vertical guideway 49 in which the side legs 50 of a metal bail-like handle slide, these side legs extending up through openings 52 in the top wall H of the casing. The handle 5| can be pushed inwardly until its side legs 5| engage the bottom of the guideways 49, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the handle 5| can be pulled out to the full line position shown in Fig. 4 in which latter position contacts 53 on the side legs 5|] of the handle 5| engage the spring contacts 44 and 48.

The negative contact of the battery 46 engages a. metal plate 56 secured to the bottom wall I4 of the casing in any suitable manner and having an upwardly projecting spring contact 58 formed integrally therewith and arranged to engage the contact 59 at the rear end of the electric light bulb 24. Similarly, the positive contact of the battery 4| engages a plate 65 secured to the bottom wall i l of the casing and which has an inteto the full line position shown in Fig. 4. At the outer extremity of this movement the contacts 53 on the legs 5!! of the handle engage the spring contacts 44 and 48. A circuit is thereby established from the positive terminal of the battery 43, through the spring contact 42, supporting plate 43, spring contact 44, adjacent contact 53, handle 5|, spring contact 48, supporting plate 46, spring contact 45, negative terminal of battery 4|, supporting plate 60, spring contact 6|, reflector 22, bulb 24, spring contact 58 and supporting plate 56 to the negative side of the battery 46.

To turn the battery ofi the user pushes the handle inwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4, this breaking the engagement between the contacts 53 of the handle 5| and the spring contacts 44 and 48 so as to break this circuit.

When the user desires to, say, replace the bat teries 40 and 4| he first removes the ring 28 which holds the lens 26 and reflector 22 in position, the removal of this ring permitting the separation of the two sections Illa and I0!) of the battery casing at the front side of the flashlight. He then turns the disk 34 so that the opening 36 in its rim or flange 35 registers with the boss 38. This boss can thereby be removed upwardly through the opening or mutilated part 36 of the flange 35 so as to permit the complete separation of the two sections lfla and lb of the casing, Since the switch mechanism is completely carried by the section I 0a of the casing and since the connectors comprise the permanent plates 43, 46, 56 and 60 with their spring contacts, it will be seen that the separation of the two halves Illa and lb of the casing exposes the batteries 4|] and 4| for direct removal and replacement thereby greatly simplifying this operation.

In the modified form of the latch means shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and which replaces the disk 34, the section |Ua of the casing is provided on its rear wall I6 with a lug carrying a loop or ring 66, the ends of which are pivotally secured in the lug 65. The lower part of this loop is arranged to snap into an undercut recess 68 provided in the lug or boss 69 formed integrally with the lower section Ifib of the casing. It will be seen that in operating the latch shown in Figs. 7 and 8 it is merely necessary to force the ring or loop 66 out of the undercut recess 68 to permit the separation of the two halves |0a and Ilib of the casing in the same manner as with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-6.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and novel form of flashlight which is particularly adapted for home use in that it is turned on and off by the simple expedient of lifting and lowering the handle, the handle being of large size so that it can be conveniently gripped in the dark. It will further be seen that the two-part construction of the casing permits of ready access to the batteries for their replacement and that the construction of the casing is rugged and at the same time inexpensive so that the flashlight can be produced at low cost.

We claim as our invention:

1. A flashlight, comprising a casing adapted to contain a battery and comprising two generally counterpart cup-shaped sections fitted together, an annular flange projecting outwardly from said casing and jointly provided by said sections, a reflector arranged within said annular flange, an electric light bulb mounted in said reflector, a ring embracing said annular flange and holding said sections together, a manual switch carried by one of said sections, means connecting said switch in circuit with said electric light bulb and battery, and latch means connecting said sections together on the side of said casin opposite said flange, and comprising a disk rotatably mounted on the adjacent wall of one of said casing sections in generally axial alinement with said annular flange, a rim projecting forwardly from said disk into engagement with said adjacent wall and having an opening at one side, and a boss provided on the adjacent wall of the other of said casing sections and embraced bythe, rim of said disk, said boss being of such size as to pass through said opening when brought into register therewith.

2. A flashlight, comprising a casing adapted to contain a pair of elongated cylindrical batteri es having terminals at their opposite ends, comprising two generally counterpart cup-shaped sections having mating edges and each adapted to embrace the corresponding ends of said batteries with said mating edges extending transversely of the axes of said batteries, an annular flange projecting outwardly from said casing with its axis generally perpendicular to the axes of said batteries and jointly provided by said sections, a metal reflector arranged within said annular flange and extending into the interior of said casing, an electric light bulb mounted in said reflector and having one contact in electrical connection therewith, means releasably holding said sections together, and means for connecting said batteries in circuit with said light bulb, comprising a metal plate in electrical engagement with each terminal of each of said batteries and secured to the adjacent section of the casing, a spring contact integral with one of said plates and directly contacting said metal reflector, a spring contact integral with the companion plate in the same section as said one of said plates and directly engaging the other contact of said bulb, and manual switch means mounted on the other section of said casing for closing the circuit between the other plates to establish a series circuit between said batteries and said light bulb comprising a spring contact integral with each of said other two plates and arranged adjacent a corresponding one of the opposite side walls of said other section, a baillike metal handle by which said casing is transported and having side legs mounted in internal guideways provided in said opposite side walls of said other section for vertical sliding movement relative thereto, and a contact surface on each of said legs and adapted to directly engage the spring contacts on said other two plates when said handle is moved outwardly relative to said casing.

3. A flashlight comprising a casing of dielectric material and having a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls connecting said top and bottom walls, a metal reflector mounted on one of said side walls and extending into the interior of said 6, casing, an electric light bulb mounted in said reflector and having one contact in electrical connection therewith, a pair of spaced metal plates in said casing secured to the bottom wall thereof, a metal contact on one of said plates engaging said reflector, a metal contact on the other of said plates and engaging the other contact of said bulb, a second pair of spaced metal plates in said casing secured to the top wall thereof, a pair of elongated electrical battery cells arranged vertically side by side within said casing and having terminals at their opposite ends each in contact with a corresponding one of said plates, and manual switch means for closing the circuit between said second pair of plates to establish a series circuit through said bulb and cells, comprising a U-shaped metal handle having vertical end legs, the opposite side walls of said casing being internally provided with a pair of vertcial guideways terminating in openings through said top wall and said guideways and openings slidingly receiving said vertical legs, an electrical contact on each of said legs and projecting in opposed relation to each other, and a spring contact on each of said second pair of plates and arranged to engage the contact on the corresponding one of said legs in the elevated position of said U-shaped handle, said U-shaped handle being thereby included in the circuit of said bulb and cells in the closed position thereof.

CHARLES E. WOHLER.

LEWIS G. SHERWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'rs Number Name Date 1,373,611 Grail Apr. 5, 1921 1,348,128 George July 27, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 836,922 France Oct.g25, 1938 432,864 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1935 

